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Sheku Kanneh-Mason: meet classical music’s 18‑year‑old superstar

The cellist has never even been to the Proms. Now he’s their next star soloist

Neil Fisher

August 18 2017, 12:01am, The Times

Sheku Kanneh-Mason and his parents, Stuart and KadieSTEVE MORGAN FOR THE TIMES

It’s an anxious time for many 18-year-olds. But yesterday Sheku Kanneh-Mason didn’t need to worry about his music, maths and physics A-level grades. He did get an A* in music, but he already had an unconditional place at the Royal Academy of Music in London and he has a ticket to the Proms at the end of the month. It’s no post-exams summer treat, however, because the gifted cellist will be the star soloist. Freshers week preparations will have to wait.

Kanneh-Mason — surely destined to be known simply as “Sheku” — has never even been to the BBC Proms as an audience member (“which is really bad, I guess,” he says, sheepishly) so the Nottingham-raised musician doesn’t know what to expect. “But I’ve watched a lot…